Friend,
Even if a plastic container has the familiar chasing arrows recycling symbol on it, it might not actually be recyclable at all.
Shouldn't we be able to trust that products labeled as "recyclable" can actually be recycled? It feels like common sense that companies should not be permitted to lie to us this way.
Luckily, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is updating its "Green Guides" that prevent marketers from making unfair or deceptive claims about the things they sell. The agency is accepting comments from the public until April 24, so now is our chance to speak out.
Take action today to urge the FTC to regulate "recyclable" labels.
Thank you,
Faye Park
President
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: U.S. PIRG <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, Feb 18, 2023
Subject: Add your name: ""Recyclable"" labels should tell the truth
To: Friend <[email protected]>
Right now, much of what companies label as "recyclable" can't actually be recycled at all. Tell the FTC to prohibit the use of the word "recyclable" and chasing arrows recycling symbol unless the item is actually recyclable. |
Friend,
The labels on the packaging of the products we buy are supposed to tell the truth. When we see a "recyclable" label on a plastic container, we feel good about putting it in the blue bin. But did you know that the vast majority of products labeled "recyclable" are never recycled at all?1
Right now, we have a chance to take action to make companies tell the truth, and only label their products as "recyclable" if they can actually be recycled. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is updating its "Green Guides" that prevent marketers from making unfair or deceptive claims about the things they sell -- and the agency wants to hear from you.2
Take action today to stop companies from falsely advertising their products as recyclable.
The definition of "recyclable" seems like it should be simple: You'd think a recyclable product is simply anything that gets broken down and re-used to create something new, preventing waste. But reality is more complicated: One study found that "recycling" is defined in 18 different ways across the country.3
The thousands of different community recycling programs nationwide don't make it any easier, either. Changes to what they do and do not accept as recycling make it confusing for consumers like us, who just want to know what is environmentally friendly to buy and use, and how to dispose of it afterwards.4
The FTC can cut through the confusion by prohibiting the use of the word "recyclable," chasing arrows recycling symbol, or other statements that imply a product is recyclable unless the item is actually recyclable.
Recycling isn't the only solution we need to fix our country's plastic pollution crisis -- but a functional recycling system is vital.
Recycling plastic waste prevents it from being incinerated, which releases toxic pollution that threatens our health and our climate. And using recycled plastic to produce new products is far better than extracting fossil fuels to make brand-new plastic at the cost of our environment.
Thank you,
Faye Park
President
1. Saabira Chaudhuri, "Your 'widely recyclable' plastic yogurt tub is rarely recycled," The Wall Street Journal, August 17, 2022.
2. "FTC Seeks Public Comment on Potential Updates to its 'Green Guides' for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims," Federal Trade Commission, December 14, 2022.
3. Saabira Chaudhuri, "Your 'widely recyclable' plastic yogurt tub is rarely recycled," The Wall Street Journal, August 17, 2022.
4. Saabira Chaudhuri, "Your 'widely recyclable' plastic yogurt tub is rarely recycled," The Wall Street Journal, August 17, 2022.
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